The Ideal Family 101

By Mary Ella Throener

Family life is what makes a great world!
What educational courses do we have on this? Do we have a family course in every grade level at school? How many papers do the young write on this topic? How important is family?
The value of life itself is reflected in family life and church life and the world. So how high should our expectations of family life be? What action plans can we make and do? When we have plans, we also have a purpose.
When the love of family life is at the heart and soul of every boy/man and every girl/woman, beginning at conception and continuing on through every minute of every day, violence will fade as something that is not good. It will be replaced with gratitude for our own lives and the life of every other human being!
What can we do and promote to help make this happen? Do we invite grandpas and/or grandmas to our schools and churches to talk about how great it is to be grandpas and grandmas (or great-grandpas and great-grandmas)? Do we ask them to talk about what good things they did to make their family life good and/or what they could have done better and want to teach/tell the younger people? Wouldn’t it be great if the love for family life was so highly valued and if peace and the unity of families would be the future for the next generations?
Who is the ideal family?
The ideal family reflects God’s love to the world! God’s love is one that sacrifices, one that has empathy for others, one that has performed miracles.
It is so good to have plans in a family. An example that became humorous many years later in our family was that our fifth daughter never mowed the lawn, and we were all so busy, we didn’t notice it until she was an adult! So it is good to make sure we have plans and purpose to our family life. Life is too short for us to be just floating along. This is a good memory to laugh about because we do live in a world that is not perfect. This is earth, not heaven.
People and human families may have opinions, they may have perspectives, and they may be giving their all to do good for others. This is a good kind of family life!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Aug 13, 2021
• ISBN: 9781664188884

Mary Ella Throener

Mary Ella (Clinch) Throener is my name. I have lived in Nebraska all my life. It has been a blessing to have traveled to many states, visiting family and participating in ministries of the church. My husband is Lawrence. He is a deacon in our church. We have been married fifty-two years. We have six children, fifteen grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. I believe in education to be an essential part of one’s everyday way of living a good life. The more we know the good things and ways to live, the better! I have worked with hundreds of children and youth in various areas in schools and churches for over forty years. They have so much to inspire us with, if we only take the time to build relationships with them, which also gives us a chance to teach. I have worked in Fullerton, Madison, Norfolk, and O’Neill. A good family life is what helps our young become ideal women and ideal men!

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Copyright © 2021 by Mary Ella Throener.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Scripture are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 08/12/2021

Xlibris

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CONTENTS

The Purpose of an Ideal Family

A Simple and Awesome Family Life

Daily Family Dream Plan (Example)

The Basic Family Dream Outline

Stories of a Somewhat Ideal Family

The Ideal Family Input from the Young

Living the Gift of Life with Gratitude

Family Ways to Be Proactive in Living Out the Ten Laws of Love

Who Is God?

In Reflection and Review for Family or Group Fun

Spontaneous Prayer

Prayers from Our Hearts and Engaging Our Minds

January, The Gift of Life

February, Corporal Works of Mercy

March, Spiritual Works of Mercy

April, Gifts of the Holy Spirit

May, The Mother and Father of Jesus

June, Oneness with God and His People

July, Freedom of Choices

August, Blessings

September, Angels

October, Fruits of the Spirit

November, Saints and Heroes

December, The Gift of Jesus

A Time of Education and Experience

The Basic Family Dream Outline:

The Commitment to the Ideal Family Life

The Purpose of an Ideal Family

The Purpose of an Ideal Family

What Is the Purpose of the Ideal

Family?

The purpose of the ideal family is to grow in

knowing, loving, and serving God in this world

and to be happy in the heavenly world.

As a family, we need habits and discipline.

This helps us to be strong in doing good for all

and in being united as ONE FAMILY!

Why 101?

God is our number one in the beginning.

God is our center in the middle.

God is our number one in the end.

A Simple and Awesome Family Life

Dream of the Ideal Family

Who Am I?

We are God’s people. Each one of us is a child of God.

The ideal family is Joseph, Mary, and Jesus!

When families share and unite their hopes and dreams

of the ideal family, they will make progress in their

journey in life to the family beyond—heaven.

Coming to know oneself as a human is so essential to live a good life in this world. Am I a man? What does that mean? Am I a woman? What does that mean? Am I a boy? What does that mean? Am I a girl? What does that mean? Who made me? Why was I made? Each person has different gifts and different personalities. How well do we know our personalities and the personalities of others in our family?

Reflect on the honesty of a human and/or the honesty of an animal. Reflect on the respect of a human and the respect of an animal. The day-in and day-out actions of animals without the intelligence for choices are hopefully far different from the actions of humans with the intelligence for choices.

In preparation for good families, schools and family members need to spend time to learn who they are in regard to personalities in the elementary and high school ages. Knowing more about personalities will help in all areas of life: the workplace and family life. This helps in understanding others, and it helps in being honest when expressing oneself. Do families and students write about and reflect on their ideal family life at the present moment, in a year, in five years, as adults? Developing a love for life with enthusiasm and excitement helps not only in family life but also the world we live in.

Do we have gatherings to learn this in families? The Myers–Briggs and enneagram personality tests are tests I would recommend. There are several that can be found online. Do we review these as we all change and grow like every year or two? Do we have gatherings as families to dream and make plans for each upcoming week? Do we include dreams that pertain to our physical lives, our emotional lives, our educational lives, and our spiritual lives? Do we spend time making good habits as a family in each of these areas of our family life? Do we spend time together on discerning and pondering how to make decisions each day for the good of the life of ourselves, each family member, and those around us? By spending time together and gaining depth in our relationships as a family, we will appreciate one another’s giftedness and uniqueness.

What Are the Components of the Ideal Family?

Why would families choose to worship together? Does showing up at church make us better than others? Does being church ministers or leaders make us better than others? Why would one choose to do those things? A lot of people see things from different perspectives. In all honesty, we are humans who are far from perfect. We are all sinners. Having a sincere perspective that church worship is for all because we get to hear and reflect on the Bible, God’s Word, and we get to share in his meal seems to be a good thing. Do we open our hearts and minds to listen to and communicate with God in the areas of our lives that need to be transformed?

I greatly appreciate the services that encourage silence and allow time for listening. Of course, my personality is primarily that of an introvert, and I get annoyed with what seems to me to be too much noise, too many words, and too much singing. Some have the perspective that singing is twice the prayer. This seems to be a good practice for families to gather with others who are giving their all to do good things in life and try to change what can be changed. We are all headed for our finish lines, giving all we’ve got to make it there.

Do we have dreams and hopes for a family life that would automatically take away violence of all kinds because we love life so much? How much preparation time, how much education time, and how much casual dream time do we spend on this vision? Do we waste a lot of time by making laws and trying to enforce laws that we miss the real issues and problems? How much time do we spend on loving each person as an individual? Do we spend time making sure the difference between the person and the action of the person is clear when there is that need? Are we into true and honest love or dishonest and fake love? How much educational time do families take to learn about how to be this ideal family? How much education do we have on communication skills? Do we have great listening skills? Do we have great conflict resolution skills? How much time and education is spent in our homes, in our churches, and in our schools in beginning to design and form the future ideal families?

We have certain holidays that are declared. Why are we missing so much family quality time? Do we want our children and the youth to be prepared for the world with leadership skills? Why don’t we encourage our children and the youth to lead family nights in their homes? Mom and Dad get to take the time on the couch while the young ones (beginning in the third grade or above) develop and practice communication skills, listening skills, and leadership skills. What awesome times and memories!

Why are daily family dream plans and monthly dream plans important as we live our lives? This helps us live with purpose. This helps us have worthwhile and fruitful lives that are lived with importance and significance. How do we want to live our lives? Do we just float through? Do we want to pay attention and search for joy and meaning?

Daily Family Dream Plan (Example)

Monday:

Meals (the main dish, vegetables, and/or fruit) and prayers are physical and spiritual nourishment.

What family chores could be done? Washing clothes and paying bills.

The evening prayer (Our Father, Glory Be, and spontaneous) can be done as a family and/or individually. Variety seems to be the way to go so all family members can have the experiences of being independent and in union with one another in their relationship with God. To have designated nights would be the best.

Tuesday:

Meals (the main dish, vegetables, and/or fruit) and prayers are physical and spiritual nourishment.

What family chores could be done? Ironing, sewing clothes, and cleaning the kitchen.

The evening prayer (Guardian Angel and spontaneous) can be done as a family and/or individually. Variety seems to be the way to go so all family members can have the experiences of being independent and in union with one another in their relationship with God. To have designated nights would be the best.

Wednesday:

Meals (the main dish, vegetables, and/or fruit) and prayers are physical and spiritual nourishment.

What family chores could be done? Does each family member have a weekly preferred item? Buying groceries and putting them away in an organized way (by the expiration dates). Cleaning the living and dining rooms. Family Bible fun night (actors and actresses) and/or class night.

The evening prayer (the Act of Contrition and spontaneous) can be done as a family and/or individually. Variety seems to be the way to go so all family members can have the experiences of being independent and in union with one another in their relationship with God. To have designated nights would be the best.

Thursday:

Meals (the main dish, vegetables, and/or fruit) and prayers are physical and spiritual nourishment.

What family chores could be done? Cleaning the bathrooms and bedrooms.

The evening prayer (Hail Mary and spontaneous) can be done as a family and/or individually. Variety seems to be the way to go so all family members can have the experiences of being independent and in union with one another in their relationship with God. To have designated nights would be the best.

Friday:

Meals (the main dish, vegetables, and/or fruit) and prayers are physical and spiritual nourishment.

Could Friday nights be family trivia/game nights with church trivia and other church-related games? What are some different kinds of trivia? Bible, catechism, the Holy People, etc.

The evening prayer (the Apostles’ Creed and spontaneous) can be done as a family and/or individually. Variety seems to be the way to go so all family members can have the experiences of being independent and in union with one another in their relationship with God. To have designated nights would be the best.

Saturday:

Meals (the main dish, vegetables, and/or fruit) and prayers are physical and spiritual nourishment.

What family chores or acts of loving service for the family did not get done during the week? How is the work of cleaning the windows, the gutters of the house, the garage (including the vehicles), and the lawn, scooping out snow, running the snow blower, operating the basic appliances of the house (checking the water softener, the trash, etc.)? Learning how to do these activities by doing them not only is a learning experience but also helps build self-esteem.

Saturdays is to be Mom/girls’ time for nails, hair, shopping, etc.

Saturdays is to be Dad/boys’ time for car hobbies, fishing, woodwork, etc.

Activities that help family members know who they are are important.

Could Saturday nights be family movie nights/family dream time to dream of the ideal family (make new plans each month or week)? This can be a family night with great practice in listening, loving, and leading with monthly family sheets to dream with. Could we have family Bible studies in homes during Advent and Lent? In the summer months, these nights could be offered in the environment of the church.

The evening prayer (the Act of Hope, the Act of Love, and spontaneous) can be done as a family and/or individually. Variety seems to be the way to go so all family members can have the experiences of being independent and in union with one another in their relationship with God. To have designated nights would be the best.

Sunday:

Meals (the main dish, vegetables, and/or fruit) and prayers are physical and spiritual nourishment.

Could Sundays be a time for visiting other families or friends? Could Sundays be a time to pray or worship together? After church, could we have a special meal as a family that we all look forward to? How could we make it our unique family celebration?

Sundays are to be Mom/girls’ time for naps.

Sundays are to be Dad/boys’ time for cooking meals and leading prayers.

Activities that help family members know who they are are important.

This could be the day we celebrate a birthday and/or baptism for the week.

The evening prayer (the Act of Faith and spontaneous) can be done as a family and/or individually. Variety seems to be the way to go so all family members can have the experiences of being independent and in union with one another in their relationship with God. To have designated nights would be the best.

Leadership, listening, good discipline, and communication

skills are being practiced with a plan.

All these nights could be prepared by

and led by the young ones.

Enjoy their energy and enthusiasm and ask

for some humor—a good time to laugh!

Family action plans are to be made by Mom and Dad and

then led by a child in the third grade or above in a fun and

creative environment (like cookies and milk time).

This is family party time!

The Basic Family Dream Outline

Begin sharing and writing about the plan

to be the IDEAL FAMILY!

Each day, think of a physical need for yourself, your family, and another human (work).

What do we do to stay healthy? Do we exercise to stay healthy?

Do we eat healthy? What meals do we want to share as a family?

Do we have plans on how to be safe if there are storms?

Do